Foldable tub-stand and wringer-support.



H. D. FORTNER.

FOLDABLE TUB STAND AND WRINGER SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1912.

1,1 34,83 1 Patented Apr. 6, i915. V 4 SHBETSSHEBT 1.

gluuewlibi H. n. FORTNER. 'FOLDABLE TUB STAND AND WRINGER SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, I9I2.

4 SHEB'IB-SHEET 2.

" Patnted pr. 6, 1915.

H. D. FORTNER.

FOLDABLE TUB STAND AND WRINGER SUPPORT.

' APPLICATION FILED Nov.13, 1912.

1, 1,34,83, I Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

I H. 0. FORTNER.

'FOLDABLE TUB STAND AND WRINGER SUPPORT.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. I3, 1912. V I 1,134,836 Patented Apr.6, 1915.

4 BHEETSBHEET 4.

h. D. For/her.

anon doc Even in. rewr tten, or EL Reno, OKLAHOMA.-

FQLDQBLE TUB-STAND AND WRINGEB SUEPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Application fi1cd-November13,1912. Seria1No.781,132.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH D. FoR'rNnn, a

- citizen of the United States, residing at El Reno, in the county of Canadian and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable Tub-Stands and Wringer-Supports, of whichv the following is a specification.

' The present invention relates to a foldable tubstand and wringer support, and the object of the invention is toproduce a structure which may be easily and quickly converted into any of the above mentioned devlces and further to provide a structure with simple buteflective means whereby the same, when set up to form a device, shall embody strength and rigidity.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which shall be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and thoroughly effective in use.

With the above recited objects in view and others which will appear as the nature F of the invention is more fully disclosed, the

' ing within the scope of the appended claims.

improvement resides the construction, combination and arrangement .of parts set forth in the. following description and'fall- In the drawings accompanying this speci-- fication and forming av part thereof: Fig ure 1 is a view of my device in its collapsed or folded position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same when set up to provide a step ladder. Fig.3 is a similar view showing the device arranged to provide an ironing looard and clothes rack. Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the device set up to provide a tub stand and wringer support.

ig. 5 isa central longitudinal sectional view taken through device illustrated .in

' Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken approximately upon line 6-6 of Fig; 2. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectionalv view upon the line 77 of Fig. 2'. Fig. 8. is a central longitudinal sectional view taken approximately upon line 8'-8 off Fig- '32 Fig. 9 is a similar sectional? view" upon line 9+9 of Fig: 3. Fig. 10' is a detail per"- spective. view of the wri'nger support and drain board. Fig. 11' a sectional?- view upon line 1--1 of Fig. 3; 12' isadetail sectional view approximate '3 upon; line 12-12 of Fig. 4. Q

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the; numeral 1 designates a member I, when trated in Fig. 3 of the drawings comprising I Patented Apr. 6, i915.

' the .device is shown in position illusi the ironing board. The board 1 is of usual shape, but has its sides as well as its rounded front formed with a continuous groove or depression 2. The rear-end of. the board preferably has its edges inclined toward its sides, and has secured upon the said edges eyes 3. Arranged within the groove is a flexible element 4: which has its ends provided with threaded members 5 which project through. the eyes 3 which have their outer extremities provided with adjustable elements in thejform of thumb nuts 6. By

this arrangement itwill be noted that the element 4- provides a means whereby the covering of padding for the 'board' may be easily and quickly arranged thereon and 1 sustained against accidental displacement.

Furthermore, the construction provides for a ready removal of the covering'or padding replaced. The board adjacent its rear end has one of its faces provided with a trans versely arranged strip 7, the same being in the nature of arecta-ngular member and having its opposite ends formed with trunnions the purpose of which will presently be set forth. The strip 7 is centrally formed with a substantially rectangular opening 9 that is arranged to communicate with the board 1. This face of the board. directly forward of. the said opening and strip is pro ided with one or more studs 10.

I The numeral 11 designates thesleeve 1 board-for the device. The boardproper is of the'ordinaryformation and has its under face adjacent its rear portion provided with a substantially T-shaped element 12 including a longitudinally extendingv strip.

13 and" 'a transversely, arranged strip 14. The said- T-shaped element rests upon the upper face ofthe board 1,; and means are employedfor preventing any accidental dis-.

placement of'the. sleeve boar-(1.1 1 from the ironing board- 1, and including a; catch memwhen the same becomes worn and is to be her-designated bv. the reference character I 1-54. The said catch member embodies a sub stantially' L'-shaped: flat spring having one end secnredin: any suitable manner to the sleeve board and thence: extended downwardlv' and 'iorwaa'dl'y through the opening 9 'of the" strip 7,. and the. opening 17. formed in said adjacent the free terminal thereof is engaged with the 1c. The

a hook 20, and with a hook 21, the purpose of all of these elements will be later fully set forth.

i The numeral 22 designates the, member which provides a step ladder whenthe device is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The ladder comprises the usual spaced sides 'as well as the connecting steps, and the side members of the ladder are provided with suitable openings within which are received the trunnions 8 of the strip 7, and whereby the said ladder is horizontally connected with the ironing 1t w1ll be noted that the said member 27 board 1.

Passing-through the side rails of the lad der adjacent its pivotal connection with the trunnions 8 is a rod 23. This rod may have one or both of its ends threaded, and the said threaded ends engaged by thumb nuts 24. The projecting ends of the rod 23 are adapted to pass through the elongated openings 25 provided in the side arms 26 of what I will term a shelf member 27. The member 27 is provided with a plurality of spaced transversely arranged connecting strips 28, and pivotally secured between these strips are clothes supporting arms 29. These arms are adapted to fully fill the 7 spaces between the strips 28 and when said arms are in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings they are sustained horizontallv of the member 27 through the medium of one of the side arms 26 with which said strips contact. The strips are each provided upon their under face with a turn button 30 which is adapted to engage the under face of the strips 28 adjacent each of the arms 29.

The outer connecting member 31 for the side arms is trunnioned to the said arms and is centrally provided with a round o ening 32 which is intersected by a slit or depression 33 which is, arranged longitudinall of one of the faces of-the member 31. The

-member 31 is substantially square in cross section and pivotally secured within the slit 21 is a locking element 34 (see Fig. 2). This .element 34 is in the form of a strip of flat metal which has its upper edge bent at an angle to provide a finger hole- 35. The numeral 36 designates a rod which is adapted to pass thro gh the opening 32 when the device is in the posit on illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The rod 36 is provided with spaces or de ressions 37 either of which being adapted to receive the locking element 34 to sustain the rod rigidly upon menses the member 31. The rod 36 has both of its ends provided with openings 38, and through one of these openings is adapted to connect with the hook 20, while the opposite opening is received by a similar hook 39 which is provided upon the lower step of the ladder when the device is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2. The rod. it will thus be seen, provides a brace when the device is set up to form a ladder and also provides a support for the member 27 when the device is in the position. illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The inner connecting strip '28 of the member 27 or the strip or connection of the said member with the rod or shaft 23 has its inner edge beveled or inclined to correspond with the inclination of the board but when the device is set up to provide a ladder as illustrated in Fig. 2.

By providing the side arms 26 of the member 27 with the elongated slots the openings the said member 27 being swung to have its side arms arranged adjacent the side members of the legs of the ladder and this strip directly over the edges of the said arms or le s, so that the member 27 occupies one 0 the comparativel small steps which will in no w1se inter ere with the folding or clasping of the device to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawmgs.

Disposed approximately central of the ladder and passing through openings provided in the side arms or the legs thereof is a rod or shaft 40 which extends a suitable distance beyond said sides of the ladder and which provides trunnions or bearings for substantially rectangular elements 41. These elements 41 have both of their ends formed with elongated slots 42, and arranged within the oppositely disposed slots one of the ends of the said members is what I term a combined wringer support, and drain board 43. The member 43 is substantially i.- shaped in cross section and is removably retained within the slots 42 through the medium of pivoted catch or hooks 44 provided upon the elements 41. By this arrangement it willbe noted that the member 43 is removable as well as reversible so that the water from the wringer may be delivered by the drain board of the/device to either side of the elements 41 when the'said elements provide the central legs for the tub stand when the device is in the position illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The leg members 41 have suitable openings 45 in this position it will be noted that the board 1 is arranged at an angle between the side arms of the member 27 as well as between the elements 41. The latterhas pivotally connected to its lower side members on the ladder and adjacent the lower portion of the said ladder is substantially rectangular frame 46, said frame including a connecting member 47 for its side arms, the said connecting member being centrally provided with depression .48 which is adapted to receive rounded front endof the board 1 when in the position illustrated in said Fig.

fl. The connecting member 47 is also provided with a suitable eye 48 which is adapted to receive the hook 21 of the board 1.

When the device is set, up to provide an ironing board the upper edge of the member 43 is brought into engagement with either of the inclined edges of the cleats 19 of the board 1 as clearly illustrated in the showing of the drawings. I

The side members or legs of the ladder are each formed with adepression or cut away portion 49v upon one of their edges, the said depression being sufiicient to receive one of the angular members of the element 43, while the second angular member is adapted to pass between the side membersof the ladder, when the device is in its folded position. When in such position vthe frame 46. is folded between the side members of the ladder,

thought be perfectly apparent {to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, without further detailed description. r I Having thus described the invention, what 1 I claim as new is 1. A foldable tub stand, and wringer sup port comprising a supporting member, end supporting legs pivotally secured at their upper ends to the sides of said supporting member, intermediate supporting legs pivotally secured to and projecting above the.

sidesof said; supporting member, a cross bar formed with a socket carried by one of the end supporting legs, an eye on said cross bar,

a downwardly inclin'ed'brace secured to and between the legs of the other of said end supporting legs, the free end ofthe brace resting in the socket of the cross bar a hook connected to the brace for engagement with free end of said upper, ends to the sides of said supportingmember, intermediate apertured supporting legs pivotally secured to and DIOJQCtlIIg above the'sides of said supporting member,

Pa cross bar formed with a socket carried by one of the end supporting legs, an eye on of said supporting legs, the free end 'iif the brace resting in the socket of the cross bar, means connected with the brace for engagethe board l-is swung over the member 43 to ment with. said eye for v retaining the free the frame 46; the member 27 is swung upon the opposite side of the ladder; the sleeve board has its T-shaped portion arranged between the spaces of the ladder, while the rod 36. is passed over the upper face of the sleeve board, and it will thus be noted that all of the several parts are compactly folded to provide a comparatively small bundle'which may be readily stored or transported.

From the above description taken in conend ofthe brace in said recess, and means carried by the brace and adapted to be ad Y justed in the aperture of the intermediate supporting legs for retaining the latter in a vertical upright position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. Y

\ L HUGH D. FORTNER. a

Witnesses; I

Looms BABCOCK,. l Gnonen A. human.v 

